Wow. This was a bold poem. A lot of people would find this hard to put into a readable format, but you did and it was good to read... And harrowing too... Seeing the darkness of our world expressed in verse.

Personally I think your opening quote didnt need to be broken up, simply having the "similar to trauma victims" part might actually be more effective.

I thought the verse where you quoted all the derogatory things that were said especially powerful, accumulating them all made them seem like an assault which I found conveyed your message perfectly.

I also really liked the verse which extended the injustices to the pressures put upon boys, because girls aren't the only ones limited by stereotypical gender roles.

I found there was a bit of a conflict in section six which I didn't quite get. I understood the importance of bringing the parental block back into it, considering how you introduced it in the beginning, but I feel that the whole "don't tell me to forget... I'll forget in 30 years" bit wasn't adding too it's strength. I think if it was more of a plea for them to remember it could add to the "why weren't we warned?" Line.

Talking of which I loved that bit. Very well done.

Finally, please bear in mind that all of the above is solely my opinion. I aim to highlight aspects you may not have considered yourself but don't take my suggestions as compulsory. Ultimately it comes down to whether you are completely satisfied with this poem.

I don't know why you saw confusion here. There's only anger in this poem.

Firstly, that's not universally true. Personally I am absolutely attracted to guys who are willing to express their emotions, who don't grit their jaws and bite their tongues when they're in pain. And secondly, even if it were true, it doesn't matter what makes for an attractive guy. A person's life shouldn't be centered around being attractive. It's centered around being happy and being free and being allowed to do as they wish.

Ohmygod, thank you. Thank you for understanding how I feel, because I go to a girls school and the amount of shit we get for being 'slutty whores' is unbelievable. And I've never worn anything shorter than three quarter length trousers and yet I'm judged because people are goddamnit my fingers are shaking and I can't even write properly I'll try again.

If only you could see my face, you'd probably laugh. God, your work makes me so pathetic inside.

I'm so sorry that I can't give you the praise you deserve, but my god, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for trying to let everybody know what's wrong with the world, because I'm horribly weak to do it myself and to know that somebody out there is trying too makes me feel that much better. Thanks, man.

(Proof of how much your words mean -- I showed this to my brother and I heard him crying in his room, after I left.)

I don't know what changed. Our parents are raising us right (for the most part.) Even thirty years ago, drugs were barely considered dangerous until D.A.R.E and all the stars started dying from them. I would like to believe, with all this technology on hand, our intelligence has expanded. But it feels like the exact opposite.

And middle school was the worst for me, too. Eighth grade, in particular; that was four years ago and to this day, I still hate even thinking about it.

I cannot even begin to explain how much this struck a chord with me... This cuts to the very part of me that I've tried so hard to hide from everyone else, because I was scared that If they knew, that i could never be accepted.

This is writing in it's purest form. This is something that needs to be broadcast loud and clear- I want to see it on billboards, I want to hear it on the radio, I want this to be embedded in people's minds and held there, preserved forever like a creature in amber.

This is the story I want to tell my children, as a warning about the past, as a hope that they will never have to live through this because I have lived through it. And I do not want to see another child taken like I was, to be stained forever in the crimson of a sin that cannot be washed away.

I mean this when I say it- and all those times that I have said it before must be taken back because this trumps them all.

Truer words have NEVER BEFORE been written.

I'm still in shock... And this will be a poem I read over and over because it is raw, pure, undeniable truth.

Thank you for putting into words what our society most needs to see, learn, and dwell on.

This was refreshing. It's hard to push back against the status quo, but if you do, and you do it for yourself, it's the most empowering feeling in the world. If you are seventeen years old than I am super impressed with your thought processes. Keep it up.

I really love the style you write in. It's very refreshing and helps to give myself ideas. I really love this piece too because it's what everyone should think and feel about this. You put this subject down on paper in a way that was understandable to everyone who read it. I just really enjoy reading your work.

This is the absolutely truth and I admire you for bringing it up. It's something people just don't want to have to deal with. I don't understand why on a night out several guys seem to think it's alright to grab my ass as if I'm some piece of meat. When did people stop being people and start becoming objects? Sorry rant over. Fair play though, the format is brill and it really works

It tells me again that this is real and that even though I don't see any of that stuff where I live, it still exists. I feel sorry for you. Or rather, I would if I hadn't subconsciously to forget these incidents after reading 40+ pages of that website and finding it too disturbing. Nobody should have to go through that.

This is beautiful, raw and frightening. It isn't my style of poetry but I love that you just say everything that people just push under the carpet. I'm 27 and I feel the same way. We as adults don't think about it because we don't have to. Or we judge it. I myself have been told that I should be happy that people are hitting on me when I don't want the attention. That it should be taken as a complement. Some times there is no solution. The only one I found is to love myself regardless of who has mistreated me, because its my story not theirs.

Thank you for your praise. And being told to appreciate harassment is, frankly, ridiculous - I've heard that plenty of times. "You should be happy guys find you attractive!" is popular with my friends. The thing is, I am happy that they find my attractive; I'm not happy for the whistling and cat-calling and leering, however. There's a line between giving a woman a compliment and harassing her. There's a line between being respectful and just being plain creepy, or scary, in some cases.

I actually found a funny and really effective guide to deflecting specific types of harassment; it's definitely not a permanent solution, but it can be a great way to call guys out on it.

its hard to believe how much things change from when we're all just innocent little kids to teenagers and adults who've come to learn about and experience the hard troubles of the true world...though of course there are still little kids that know a little too early as well. its scary

this poem really makes you think and I love that. keep up the good work, it'd be great to see more in the future

The world is destroying its self and us ids are seeing it happen the boundaries of this world are no more and no one cares any more yet you must stay strong for you will be one that survives your to good to be swallowed up.... stay strong.

I really like this poem, sad it may be. The format feels like you're speaking directly about something personal.

And it is quite real, us men have lost our charm these days, it seems. I think it's a good thing society has become less prudish, though it is pretty shocking and saddening when I learn about the things people around me are doing...

I really hope you don't actually relate to this poem TOO much, but it is very good. It's disturbing yet elegant.